


Playing Hookie

by tealeaf523 (ConstantComment)



Series: 12 Days of Fanfic (2012) [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 22:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConstantComment/pseuds/tealeaf523
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is an overachiever even when he skips school to take Arthur sledging.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing Hookie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sophia_Clark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia_Clark/gifts).



> Prompt: Friends seeing each other in a new light; kissing, etc. in the snow.

The snow had fallen hard, blanketing the whole city of Tolemac in just a few hours. Arthur had fallen asleep to the dim light of his computer screen and the darkness of the frozen grass on the grounds outside. And he would have woken up to the blinding white of the sun’s reflection on the six inches of snow, if Merlin hadn’t texted him at five and told him to get his arse outside so they could christen the slopes in the local park before the sun came up.  
  
 **I am not playing hookie with you. Especially at 5am.**  
  
 **u can sleep when ur dead come outside i made cocoa**  
  
Arthur was bleary eyed but snuggled up proper in layers and layers of pullovers, dragging two sledges behind him, by the time he met Merlin at the front gate.  
  
“Morning,” Merlin said brightly. He had to be wearing even more layers than Arthur, because the only visible skin was his goofy grin and his blue eyes, bluer as the sky brightened.  
  
Although Arthur grumbled into his cocoa all the way to the park, he fully admitted that if he would get up at the arsecrack of dawn for anyone, it would be his best friend, Merlin.  
  
They were in their final year of school before leaving for uni, and Merlin was going off to Wales to apprentice with his uncle Gaius while Arthur was destined for University of Oxford School of Economics.  
  
All Arthur wanted to do was pack Merlin with him, and maybe just skip Oxford and run away to California or somewhere equally different and distant. They’d known each other for what seemed like forever, and Arthur didn’t much like the thought of forever having an end.  
  
“We’re here,” Merlin said with a happy shove at the malfunctioning park gate. He turned around to see Arthur nibbling at the edge of his cup of cocoa and having very thoughtful thoughts. “Oi, Pendragon. Clotpole!”  
  
Arthur startled and glared at Merlin, stomping through the gate and not holding it open for Merlin to pull his sledge through.  
  
“Yes, this truly makes me think more of your character, Arthur,” Merlin called to him, clumsily plowing his way into the park. “I’ve changed my mind. You’re so much more than a clotpole. You’re a big, giant bag of dicks!”  
  
Arthur laughed so loud he upset some birds from their roosts. He caught Merlin in a chokehold, laughing as Merlin squawked all the way to the biggest hill.  
  
They’d gone on five rounds, up and down the hill, by the time Merlin caught on to Arthur’s gloom.  
  
“Alright,” he said, putting his hands on his hips. He looked frankly ridiculous, with his eighty layers and a bit of snow sticking to one of his earmuffs. “What’s got you in a sulk, then?”  
  
Arthur tugged Merlin down next to him, where he sat cross-legged in the snow. He wouldn’t bother lying to Merlin. All it would get him was a snowball down his back.  
  
“I’m thinking about the end of school.”  
  
Merlin bit his lip before looking out over the park. He gave a great sigh, before turning back to Arthur with one of those smiles he put on, just to cheer Arthur up. He’d done it since they were very young.  
  
“Arthur, we’ve got tonnes of time!” he said finally.  
  
“I know. I just—”  
  
“Here. All you need is the magic of a tandem sledge ride. Yes,” Merlin declared, “I said it. A tandem sledge ride.” He scrambled onto the front of the bigger sledge and patted the back of it.  
  
“Loser,” Arthur said fondly, and climbed on the back, wrapping his arms tightly around Merlin’s skinny chest. He could smell Merlin, nose pressed into the nape of his neck, could taste the Emrys home and Merlin’s funny soap and everything that made Merlin so strangely wonderful. Merlin squeezed his gloved hands tightly before pushing them off.  
  
The ride down the hill was furiously fast, and Merlin screamed bloody murder all the way down, while Arthur just held on tighter, eyes wide.  
  
The end was a dramatic crash, and Arthur found himself squashed under Merlin’s tall frame, covered in snow. Merlin was still huffing with laughter beside Arthur’s head, spread somewhat like a beached sea turtle over him. Arthur shoved him sideways into the snow, and Merlin looked over his shoulder. They were still tangled, and it made Arthur’s stomach clench up a little.  
  
“All better?” asked Merlin.  
  
Arthur took hold of Merlin’s hood and pulled him too close, their steamy breaths mingling, before he pushed his lips against Merlin’s chapped ones. Merlin made an aborted sound in his throat, which incited a knot of panic in Arthur’s chest. He pushed away quickly, swearing under his breath, but then Merlin was leaning into his space, and saying things like, “Wait,” and “Let me,” before he closed his lips over Arthur’s.  
  
Arthur gasped, and Merlin hurriedly licked at the surprise on Arthur’s tongue, and his mittens were on Arthur’s face and he was so close. Arthur really, really didn’t want forever to end.  
  
“I love you,” Arthur blurted when Merlin finally pulled away. And oh, no, Merlin was going to get emotional.  
  
“That’s it,” Merlin laughed wetly. “We’re running away to Peru.”  
  
“Want to go to my house and not go to school?”  
  
Merlin sat up, quickly brushing under his eyes and then standing. Arthur followed after him.  
  
“As long as we can play Mario Kart and eat breakfast at the same time,” he said finally, and they walked up the hill together.  
  
Later, as they sat too close in front of the telly, with plated of eggs and toast on their laps and controllers in their hands, Merlin turned to Arthur.  
  
“I love you, too, you know,” he murmured.  
  
Tension leaked out of Arthur’s shoulders enough that he dared to kiss Merlin again.

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! I'm on tumblr during the times I'm not here, so come say hi! [RUNSWITHWOLVES.TUMBLR.COM](http://runswithwolves.tumblr.com)


End file.
